Article Figures & Data

Figures

Prevalence of atopic sensitization and asthma in children aged 13 years with a history of thumb-sucking or nail-biting. Error bars show the 95% confidence intervals. The statistical significance of differences between oral habit categories from χ2 tests are P = .05 for atopy, P = .76 for asthma, and P = .27 for hay fever.

Tables

Prevalence of Thumb-Sucking and Nail-Biting in Childhood, and Atopic Sensitization and Asthma at Ages 13 and 32 Years

Girls n/n%

Boys n/n%

P

Thumb-sucking

97/492 (20)

90/521 (17)

.32

Nail-biting

98/492 (20)

90/521 (17)

.28

Any oral habit

164/492 (33)

153/521 (30)

.17

Atopic sensitization at age 13

132/349 (38)

196/375 (52)

.001

Asthma at age 13

35/355 (10)

60/380 (16)

.017

Hay fever at age 13

99/355 (28)

120/380 (32)

.27

Atopic sensitization at age 32

271/467 (58)

294/479 (61)

.29

Asthma at age 32

83/474 (18)

90/493 (18)

.76

Hay fever at age 32

197/473 (42)

181/495 (37)

.11

TABLE 2

Childhood Oral Habits and Atopic Sensitization

Sex Adjusted

Multiply Adjusted

n

OR

(95% CI)

n

OR

(95% CI)

Age 13

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

724

0.67

(0.48–0.92)

674

0.64

(0.45–0.90)

Thumb-sucking

724

0.67

(0.70–1.83)

674

0.64

(0.42–0.97)

Nail-biting

724

0.68

(0.46–1.00)

674

0.70

(0.47–1.10)

Age 32

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

935

0.61

(0.46–0.81)

748

0.62

(0.45–0.86)

Thumb-sucking

935

0.69

(0.49–0.96)

748

0.69

(0.47–1.00)

Nail-biting

935

0.67

(0.48–0.94)

748

0.71

(0.49–1.02)

Analyses by logistic regression by using atopic sensitization as the dependent variable, and oral habit in childhood as the main predictor. Analyses are adjusted for sex alone, or multiply adjusted for sex, breastfeeding, parental atopy, parental smoking, household crowding, cat and dog ownership, and SES. The differences in n values are caused by missing data for outcome measures or covariates. CI, confidence interval.

TABLE 3

Childhood Oral Habits and Sensitization to Specific Allergens

Sex Adjusted

Multiply Adjusted

n

OR

(95% CI)

n

OR

(95% CI)

Age 13

House dust mite

724

0.70

(0.49–1.00)

674

0.70

(0.49–1.02)

Grass

724

0.82

(0.58–1.15)

674

0.84

(0.58–1.21)

Cat

724

0.75

(0.46–1.22)

674

0.69

(0.42–1.16)

Age 32

House dust mite

935

0.58

(0.44–0.77)

748

0.6

(0.44–0.83)

Grass

935

0.3

(0.55–0.96)

748

0.72

(0.52–1.00)

Cat

934

0.62

(0.43–0.90)

747

0.69

(0.46–1.04)

Analyses by logistic regression by using atopic sensitization as the dependent variable, and oral habit in childhood as the main predictor. Analyses are adjusted for sex alone, or multiply adjusted for sex, breastfeeding, parental atopy, parental smoking, household crowding, cat and dog ownership, and SES. The differences in n values are caused by missing data for outcome measures or covariates.

TABLE 4

Childhood Oral Habits and Asthma

Sex Adjusted

Multiply Adjusted

n

OR

(95% CI)

n

OR

(95% CI)

Age 13

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

735

1.01

(0.68–1.71)

683

1.13

(0.70–1.84)

Thumb-sucking

735

1.34

(0.78–2.30)

683

1.40

(0.80–2.50)

Nail-biting

735

0.91

(0.52–1.60)

683

0.98

(0.55–1.78)

Age 32

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

955

1.14

(0.80–1.61)

760

1.34

(0.91–1.98)

Thumb-sucking

955

1.34

(0.90–2.00)

760

1.52

(0.96–2.40)

Nail-biting

955

1.16

(0.77–1.74)

760

1.30

(0.83–2.05)

Analyses by logistic regression by using asthma as the dependent variable, and oral habit in childhood as the main predictor. Analyses are adjusted for sex alone, or multiply adjusted for sex, breastfeeding, parental atopy, parental smoking, crowding, cat and dog ownership, and SES. The differences in n values are caused by missing data for outcome measures or covariates.

TABLE 5

Childhood Oral Habits and Hay Fever

Sex Adjusted

Multiply Adjusted

n

OR

(95% CI)

n

OR

(95% CI)

Age 13

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

735

1.00

(0.71–1.40)

683

1.05

(0.73–1.51)

Thumb-sucking

735

1.03

(0.68–1.55)

683

1.07

(0.69–1.66)

Nail-biting

735

0.80

(0.53–1.21)

683

0.88

(0.56–1.36)

Age 32

Thumb-sucking or nail-biting

956

0.97

(0.74–1.29)

761

1.12

(0.82–1.55)

Thumb-sucking

956

1.01

(0.72–1.41)

761

1.13

(0.77–1.65)

Nail-biting

956

0.84

(0.60–1.17)

761

0.91

(0.63–1.33)

Analyses by logistic regression by using hay fever as the dependent variable, and oral habit in childhood as the main predictor. Analyses are adjusted for sex alone, or multiply adjusted for sex, breastfeeding, parental atopy, parental smoking, crowding, cat and dog ownership, and SES. The differences in n values are caused by missing data for outcome measures or covariates.